System and method for customizable user experience through sharable devices

Abstract

An interactive system includes a server coupled to one or more databases that store user profiles. The interactive system also includes a sharable device including one or more processors, one or more memories storing sharable device identifiers (IDs), one or more feedback devices, and an ultra wide band (UWB) circuit module. The sharable device is communicatively coupled to the server, and the one or more processors are configured to receive a user ID (e.g., a character string and / or a digital code associated with a profile of a user and transmitted by the user device) via the UWB circuit module, transmit the user ID to the server, transmit the sharable device ID to the server after receiving the user ID, and transmit the sharable device ID to the server after receiving the sharable device ID. A pairing indication is received from the server after transmitting the user ID to the server, and a control signal to activate the one or more feedback devices is generated based on the pairing indication.

Description

Background Art

[0001] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of the technology that may be related to the various aspects of the technology presented, which are described and / or claimed below. It is believed that this discussion is helpful in providing the reader with background information to promote a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as an admission of prior art.

[0002] Amusement parks often include interactive areas that include rides and attractions. Some interactive areas may include features that provide the same user experience for each user. However, providing different or unique features that can be tailored for each user can enhance the user experience for each user and provide a better user experience for each user. It is now recognized that it is desirable to provide different or unique features in the interactive areas of an amusement park that provide a different or unique user experience for each user based on, for example, user input. Summary of the invention

[0003] Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter are discussed below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In fact, the present disclosure may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar or different from the embodiments set forth below.

[0004] In one embodiment, an interactive system includes a server coupled to one or more databases storing user profiles. The interactive system includes a sharable device having one or more processors, one or more memory devices storing sharable device identifiers, one or more feedback devices, and a communication circuit module. The sharable device is communicatively coupled to the server. The one or more processors receive a user identifier from a user device via the communication circuit module. The one or more processors also transmit the user identifier to the server via the communication circuit module. Further, the one or more processors transmit the sharable device identifier to the server via the communication circuit module. Further, the one or more processors receive a pairing indication based on the user identifier and the sharable device identifier from the server via the communication circuit module. Still further, the one or more processors activate the one or more feedback devices based on the pairing indication.

[0005] In one embodiment, a method includes: receiving a user identifier (ID) associated with a user device from a sharable device using a communication circuit module. The method also includes: receiving a sharable device ID from the sharable device using the communication circuit module. Further, the method includes: determining a user profile for pairing with the sharable device based on the user ID using one or more processors. Further, the method includes: pairing the user profile with the sharable device based on the sharable ID using one or more processors.

[0006] In one embodiment, an interactive system includes a plurality of sharable devices. Each sharable device in the plurality of sharable devices stores a corresponding sharable device identifier (ID). The interactive system also includes a server coupled to one or more databases storing a plurality of user profiles. The server includes a communication circuit module, and the communication circuit module communicates with the plurality of sharable devices. The server also includes one or more processors, and the one or more processors receive a user identifier from a first sharable device in the plurality of sharable devices via the communication circuit module. The one or more processors also receive a first sharable device identifier from a first sharable device via the communication circuit module. Further, the one or more processors determine that a first user profile in the plurality of user profiles is paired with a second sharable device in the plurality of sharable devices. Still further, the one or more processors pair a second user profile in the plurality of user profiles with a first sharable device based on the pairing of the first user profile with the second sharable device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the drawings, and in which:

[0008] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a sharable device system for providing a customizable user experience according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a sharable device system for providing access to a vehicle according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating a sharable device system according to an aspect of the present disclosure;

[0011] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method of performing Figure 1 and Figure 2 A data flow diagram of communications between a user device, a sharable device and a server executed in a sharable device system;

[0012] Figure 5 is a flow chart of a method for pairing a sharable device with a user profile corresponding to a user device according to an aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0013] Figure 6 is a flow chart of a method for modifying an amount of data transmitted by a sharable device according to one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, not all features of an actual implementation may be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, many implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. In addition, it should be appreciated that such development work may be complex and time consuming, but will be no more than a routine task of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for a person of ordinary skill who benefits from the present disclosure.

[0015] The present disclosure relates to a sharable device system that provides access to sharable devices to users (e.g., customers, patrons, visitors, clients, etc.) based on user identifiers transmitted by user devices (e.g., wearable devices, smart phones, tablets, laptops), the user devices being associated with one or more of the users. Using the user identifiers provided by the user devices, the sharable devices may be paired with user profiles stored on a server, the user profiles being associated with the user devices. The sharable devices may include devices that a user may temporarily use (e.g., access) and subsequently return to an organization (e.g., an amusement park, a rental organization, such as a car rental organization, a hardware organization, etc.) that enables the use of the sharable devices to enhance the user's experience at the amusement park or for transportation. For example, in one embodiment, the sharable device system may be implemented in an amusement park (e.g., amusement park rides, shows, and games) to provide users with temporary access to sharable devices that the user may use to interact with the amusement park. In another embodiment, the shareable device system may be implemented in a non-amusement park environment, such as a vehicle rental business (e.g., for car, bicycle, scooter, boat, jet ski, and the like), a power tool rental business, an audio / visual (A / V) equipment rental business, or other electronic device rental business.

[0016] In one embodiment where the shareable device is implemented in an amusement park, the shareable device can be any of a variety of types of devices that are configured to be carried, held, and / or worn by a user. For example, the shareable device may include an aiming device (e.g., a blaster), a wand, a toy, a figurine, a costume, jewelry, a bracelet, a headdress (e.g., capable of implementing a virtual or augmented reality experience), a medal, glasses, and / or any combination thereof (e.g., an aiming device integrated into a bracelet). In one embodiment, the shareable device may be configured to be used by multiple different users over time. For example, a user may pick up a shareable device at the entrance of an interactive environment, use the shareable device to participate in the interactive environment as the user advances through the interactive environment, and then return the shareable device when the user exits the interactive environment. The shareable device may be available again at the entrance of the interactive environment (e.g., after cleaning), and then another user may pick up the shareable device at the entrance of the interactive environment and use the shareable device to participate in the interactive environment, and so on.

[0017] In one embodiment where the shareable device is implemented in a non-amusement park, the shareable device can be a vehicle, such as a car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, airplane, boat, jet ski, canoe, kayak, etc. In a generally similar manner to that described with respect to an amusement park, the shareable device can be configured to be used by multiple different users over time. For example, in one embodiment where the shareable device is a vehicle, a user can obtain the vehicle at a vehicle rental environment and use the vehicle during a predetermined time period, and then return the vehicle at the end of the time period. The vehicle can be used again at the vehicle rental environment (e.g., after cleaning, maintenance, repair, etc.), and then another user can obtain the vehicle at the entrance of the interactive environment and use the vehicle for transportation, and so on.

[0018] In any case, in order to provide a more desirable user experience (e.g., a more immersive experience or a user-friendly experience), it may be advantageous to pair, link, or register a shareable device with a user profile associated with a user. In general, a user profile may enable the interaction between a user and a shareable device to be tracked and / or recorded for certain gamification purposes as described herein. It is currently recognized that a user profile may be stored as data (e.g., stored as a relatively large amount of data) to adjust the settings of a shareable device or personalize the shareable device and / or deliver updates indicating the use of the shareable device by the user. However, in some instances, communication between a user device and a shareable device may be hindered in an environment including multiple shareable devices and / or multiple users. For example, a user device may be used in an area with limited available bandwidth and / or in an environment with interference sources (e.g., additional user devices, other electronic devices, and physical obstacles, lack of cell phone towers, and the like). Thus, transferring relatively large amounts of data in such environments may be difficult and may prevent users from accessing the shareable device and / or destroy the immersion of users attempting to use the shareable device within the interactive environment.

[0019] Therefore, provided herein is a sharable device system, the sharable device system includes one or more sharable devices communicatively coupled to a server. As discussed herein, the sharable device system provides a technique for the following operations: pairing with a user profile (e.g., a customer profile) based on a user identifier (e.g., a user ID) transmitted by a user device and a user profile associated with a user, registering to the user profile or otherwise linking to the user profile, the user profile being stored on a server associated with and / or different from the user device. In general, the one or more sharable devices may communicate with the user device via a first type of communication (e.g., ultra-wideband (UWB) communication), while the one or more sharable devices communicate with the server via a second type of communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Ethernet). In general, the first type of communication may be able to be transmitted over a relatively short range (e.g., one centimeter or less, one meter or less, two meters or less, three meters or less, five meters or less, etc.). In addition, the one or more sharable devices may communicate with the server via a second type of communication (e.g., Wi-Fi, Ethernet and / or cellular connection). In general, the second type of communication (i.e., for communicating between a server and a user device) may be capable of transmitting over a relatively large range (e.g., three meters or more, five meters or more, ten meters or more, 20 meters or more, 50 meters or more, etc.) as compared to the first type of communication. It is currently recognized that it may be desirable to pair a relatively large amount of data (e.g., a user profile) stored on a server by accessing the relatively large amount of data (e.g., a user profile) transmitted by the user device using a relatively small amount of data (e.g., a user identifier) ​​transmitted by the user device. For example, it may be advantageous for a user to have direct access to data associated with a user's profile (e.g., a user identifier) ​​via a user device as compared to the user having to access a separate device to search for and access their user profile. In addition, the sharable device may be paired with a user profile associated with the user by the sharable device acting as an intermediary between the two types of communication protocols (e.g., between the user device and the sharable device and between the sharable device and the server).

[0020] In addition, in instances where communication between a sharable device and a user device is limited, the likelihood of successful pairing between a user profile and a sharable device may be increased because the user device may provide a relatively small amount of data (such as compared to the user profile). For example, a sharable device may generally receive a user identifier (e.g., a user ID) such as a string and / or a numeric code associated with a user's profile from a user device, and transmit the user identifier and sharable device identity information identifying the sharable device to a server. In turn, the server pairs the user profile with a sharable device associated with a sharable device sharable device identifier (e.g., a sharable device ID), registers or links the user profile to the sharable device (e.g., via the user identifier). In general, a sharable device ID may be a string and / or a numeric code associated with a particular sharable device. In addition, when a user interacts with a sharable device, data indicating the interaction is transmitted from the sharable device to the server, and the user's interaction may be recorded and tracked on a storage component accessible by the server. In this way, users in an interactive environment and / or a vehicle rental environment may receive a higher quality and uninterrupted personalized experience in locations where there may be an increased likelihood for connectivity interruptions.

[0021] Taking the above into consideration, Figure 1 A perspective view of an interactive environment 10 is shown having a shareable device system 12 having one or more shareable devices 14A-D (collectively, 14). As shown, the interactive environment 10 includes users 16 holding user devices 18. Although only two users 16 and two user devices 18 are shown, another embodiment of the shareable device system 12 may include any number (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, etc.) of user devices 18 and any number (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, etc.) of users 16. In general, the user device 18 is an electronic device having a processor and a communication circuit module that communicates with the shareable device 14 via wireless communication. For example, a user device 18 may identify one or more sharable devices 14 and transmit data to the one or more sharable devices using ultra-wideband (UWB) communications (e.g., at frequencies between 3.1 gigahertz (GHz) and 10.6 GHz), radio frequency identification (RFID) beacons and / or tags (e.g., at frequencies approximately 433 megahertz (MHz) or 860-960 MHz), or Wi-Fi (e.g., at frequencies approximately 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz).

[0022] In general operation, user 16 may bring user device 18 into proximity of sharable device 14 (e.g., within UWB range, such as within three centimeters (cm) or less, four cm or less, five cm or less, ten cm or less, etc.) to establish communication between user device 18 and sharable device 14. User device 18 may then provide a user identifier to sharable device 14. Sharable device 14 may relay the user identifier to server 22, and sharable device 14 may transmit a sharable device identifier associated with sharable device 14 to server 22. In general, the server may be any suitable computing device, including a desktop computer, a laptop, a mobile device, a smart phone, a wearable device, and the like. The user identifier is associated with a user profile in one or more databases 23. In general, the sharable device identifier identifies the specific sharable device 14 that the user is trying to access, and thus enables pairing between the user profile associated with user 16 and the specific sharable device 14. Once the shareable device 14 and the user profile are paired, interactions between the user and the shareable device 14 within the interactive environment 10 may be tracked and / or recorded, such as updating data stored in the database 23 to include a record of interactions with the shareable device 14, awarding points to the user based on use of the shareable device 14, tracking the user's progress as the user uses the shareable device 14, tracking the user's achievements as the user uses the shareable device 14, and the like.

[0023] In one embodiment, server 22 pairing sharable device 14 with a user profile may include providing certain user profile settings to sharable device 14, which causes sharable device 14 to provide a pairing indication to notify the user that sharable device 14 has been paired with the user. That is, the pairing indication may cause one or more feedback devices 29 (e.g., visual feedback devices (e.g., light-emitting elements such as diodes, display screens), audio feedback devices (e.g., speakers), tactile elements, and the like) of sharable device 14 to be activated based on the pairing indication. For example, the user profile may include certain user preferences (e.g., graphics, images, and other visual, audio, and tactile modes that the user has previously selected) that are used by sharable device 14 to provide feedback via one or more feedback devices 29, which may provide an improved immersion of the user with the interactive environment. For example, the user may prefer that sharable device 14 present a particular color scheme (e.g., blue), and the light emitter(s) on sharable device 14 (representing feedback devices 29) may illuminate in a color corresponding to the color scheme (e.g., blue) upon successful pairing. It should be appreciated that the server 22 may provide pairing instructions that include a user profile and / or instructions for controlling the feedback device 29 in a particular manner (e.g., turning on (one or more) light emitters representing the feedback device 29 having a color) so that the sharable device 14 provides an indication of a successful pairing (or an unsuccessful pairing).

[0024] As mentioned above, the shareable device system 12 can also be implemented in a vehicle rental environment. To illustrate this point, Figure 2 A perspective view of a vehicle rental environment 20 with a shareable device system 12 is shown. In general operation, and in a manner similar to that described with respect to Figure 1 In a generally similar manner as described, user 16 may bring user device 18 into proximity (e.g., within UWB range) of sharable device 14 (e.g., a vehicle) to establish communication between user device 18 and sharable device 14. User device 18 may then provide a user identifier to sharable device 14, which may then relay the user identifier and sharable device ID to server 22. The user identifier may enable identification of a user profile in one or more databases 23. The sharable device ID may enable interactions between the user and the vehicle (i.e., sharable device 14) to be tracked, such as updating data stored in database 23 to include a record of interactions, such as miles driven, driving habits, locations visited, and the like. Server 22 may pair sharable device 14 with the user profile, and in turn server 22 may provide a pairing indication to notify the user that sharable device 14 has been paired with user profile 50, such as Figure 3For example, the pairing indication may cause the feedback device 29 of the sharable device 14 to provide feedback that the user profile 50 is paired with the sharable device 14. For example, in an embodiment in which the sharable device system 12 is implemented in a vehicle rental environment 20, the pairing indication 71 received by the sharable device 14 (e.g., the vehicle) and / or the user device 18 may cause a response to a feature of the vehicle (e.g., seat position or orientation, mirror position, speaker volume, pre-selected radio list, connection to the user device 18 (e.g., via ), air conditioning settings, heater settings, seat heating settings, seat cooling settings, and the like) and / or other features that may provide a more personalized experience for the user (e.g., causing a display screen of the vehicle to display a “Welcome Back” message). As a result, the vehicle rental experience may be more convenient, comfortable, or enjoyable for the user, and reduce the likelihood that the user's settings are not applied to the sharable device 14 due to a loss of connection between the user device 18 and the sharable device 14.

[0025] To perform the operations described herein, the sharable device 14, the server 22, and the user device 18 may each include certain processing circuit modules, memory circuit modules, and communication circuit modules. To illustrate this point, Figure 3 is a block diagram of a sharable device system 12, which includes one or more sharable devices 14, a server 22, and a user device 18. In one embodiment, the one or more sharable devices 14 may each include a processor 24, a memory 26, and a communication circuit module 28 to enable the one or more sharable devices 14 to communicate with the user device 18 and / or the server 22. Figure 1 The various functional blocks shown in the figure may include hardware elements (including circuit modules), software elements (including machine executable instructions), or a combination of both hardware and software elements (which may be referred to as logic). The processor 24, the memory 26 and / or non-volatile storage device, the communication circuit module 28, and / or the feedback device 29 may each be directly or indirectly (e.g., through or via another component, a communication bus, a network) communicatively coupled to each other to transmit and / or receive data between each other. It should be noted that Figure 3is merely one example of a particular implementation and is intended to illustrate the types of components that may be present in the shareable device 14, the user device 18, and / or the server 22. The shareable device 14 also includes a game input / output control element 27, which may include an input trigger, a button, a joystick, a control pad, or other selectable features and / or features similar to a feedback device 29 (e.g., a speaker, a display, a light device, a haptic device, etc.). The game input / output 27 may provide a trigger condition to the server 22, which causes the server 22 to track the position and / or orientation of the shareable device 14, which may facilitate certain game elements within the interactive environment 10. In general, the trigger condition may indicate an interaction between a user and the shareable device 14. For example, the trigger condition may indicate whether the user is pulling a trigger of the shareable device 14 (i.e., in an embodiment where the shareable device 14 is a blaster). As another non-limiting example, the trigger condition may indicate a direction of a particular motion or movement of the shareable device 14 (e.g., the user is waving a wand). As another non-limiting example, the trigger condition may indicate that the user is pressing a specific button of the game input / output 27. In this way, the trigger condition may be utilized by the server 22 to enable tracking of the shareable device 14.

[0026] The communication circuit module 28 may include, for example, one or more communication circuit modules 28 for use with a personal area network (PAN), such as an ultra-wideband (UWB) or Network; Local Area Network (LAN) or Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), such as a network using one of the IEE 802.11x series of protocols (e.g., ); and / or a wide area network (WAN), such as any standards associated with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including, for example, 3rd Generation (3G) cellular networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), 4th Generation (4G) cellular networks, Long Term Evolution (LET), and / or a wide area network (WAN). Cellular network, Long Term Evolution Licensed Assisted Access (LTE-LAA) cellular network, 5th Generation (5G) cellular network and / or New Radio (NR) cellular network, 6th Generation (6G) or above 6G cellular network, satellite network, non-terrestrial network, etc. In particular, the communication circuit module 28 may include one or more communication circuit modules for cellular communication standards using 5G specifications, and the 5G specifications include millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency ranges (e.g., 24.25-300 gigahertz (GHz)) that define and / or enable frequency ranges for wireless communication. In some embodiments, the communication circuit module 28 may include a transmitter and / or a receiver that supports the transmission and reception of various wireless signals via one or more antennas. For example, the communication circuit module 28 may include multiple transmitters, multiple receivers, multiple transceivers, and / or multiple antennas as suitable for various communication standards.

[0027] Additionally, the user device 18 may include a processor 34, a memory 36, and a communication circuit module 38 to enable the user device 18 to communicate with one or more sharable devices 14. In one embodiment, the user device 18 may scan (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the user device 18, power level of the user device 18, etc.) and / or request a user identifier from the user device 18. For example, the sharable device 14 may scan the user ID from the user device 18 using the communication circuit module 28; however, the sharable device 14 may scan the UWB tag of the user device 18 (which stores or indicates the user identifier) ​​using any suitable ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. For example, the UWB tag may include an antenna to transmit and receive signals, a microprocessor, and a memory to store information (e.g., a unique identification code). Therefore, if the UWB tag communicates with an additional UWB tag, the UWB tag may backscatter data indicating the information stored in the memory of the UWB tag. Other types of communications are contemplated, such as near field communication (NFC) devices, radio frequency (RF) communication devices, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or any other suitable wireless communications. Additionally, memory 36 of user device 18 may store identification (ID) information 40 that may be used by server 22 to identify one or more user profiles. In some embodiments, user device 18 may store and / or execute applications in memory 36 to be executed by processor 34 that facilitate communications with sharable device 14 and / or server 22. Communication circuit modules 38 and 48 may include generally similar features as described above with respect to communication circuit module 28.

[0028] In one embodiment, the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 may include multiple types of communication circuit modules 28. For example, the communication circuit module 28 may include a first type of communication circuit module (which is capable of communicating with the user device 18 via a first communication protocol) and a second type of communication circuit module (which is capable of communicating with the server 22 via a second communication protocol). Therefore, the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 may receive the user ID 40 from the user device 18 via the first communication protocol (e.g., communicable via a first range of frequencies). In addition, the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 may transmit the user ID 40 to the server 22 via the second communication protocol (i.e., communicable via a second range of frequencies), and the server 22 pairs the user profile 50 associated with the user ID 40 with the sharable device 14. In this manner, by transmitting the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14 and utilizing the second communication protocol for transmitting information (i.e., the user ID 40 and the sharable device ID 30) to pair the user device 18 with the sharable device 14, pairing may not be delayed in instances when communication using the first communication protocol is impeded (e.g., due to other user devices 18 also communicating via the first communication protocol). In particular, the user device 18 may transmit a relatively small amount of data (i.e., the user ID) to the sharable device 14.

[0029] In one embodiment, one or more sharable devices 14 may scan (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the sharable device 14, power level of the sharable device 14, etc.) and / or request a user ID 40 from a user device 18. For example, the sharable device 14 may scan the user ID from the user device 18 using the communication circuit module 28; however, the sharable device 14 may scan a UWB tag (which stores or indicates the user ID 40) in the user device 18 using any suitable ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. Other types of communications are contemplated, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, or the like. Additionally, the memory 26 of one or more sharable devices 14 may store a sharable device identifier (e.g., sharable device ID) 30 that identifies the sharable device 14, so that interactions between a user 16 and a particular sharable device 14 within the interactive environment 10 and / or vehicle rental environment 20 can be accurately tracked and recorded. Additionally, the sharable device 14 may include one or more feedback devices 29, such as visual feedback devices (e.g., light-emitting elements such as diodes, display screens), audio feedback devices (e.g., speakers), haptics, and the like. The above discussion generally relates to the sharable device 14 pulling (e.g., via scanning) a user ID. In some embodiments, the user device 18 may transmit (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the user device 18, power level of the user device 18, etc.). In this way, the user device 18 may push the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14. It should be noted that other suitable techniques are used to push or pull identification information between devices.

[0030] Still further, the server 22 may include a processor 44, a memory 46, and a communication circuit module 48 to enable the server 22 to communicate with one or more sharable devices 14. In one embodiment, the server 22 may scan (e.g., periodically or based on certain trigger conditions, such as activation of the user device 18, power level of the user device 14, etc.) and / or request user IDs and sharable device IDs from the sharable device 14. For example, the server 22 may scan the user ID and sharable device ID from the sharable device 14 using the communication circuit module 48. In some embodiments, the communication circuit module 48 may use any suitable type of communication, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like. Additionally, the memory 46 of the server 22 (e.g., or a database accessible by the server 22) may store a user profile 50, which may be used to adjust the operation of the sharable device 14 and facilitate tracking of the user's interaction with the sharable device 14.

[0031] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3In operation, a user may enter or otherwise be within an area associated with the interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20 by passing through an entrance to, standing within, or walking around the interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20. In an embodiment, a user may obtain (e.g., select) a shareable device 14 while the user is within the interactive environment 10. Thus, in some embodiments, the shareable device 14 may not be pre-registered or otherwise linked to the user's user profile 50 before the user enters or is otherwise within the interactive environment 10. Instead, the shareable device 14 may be temporarily paired with, registered with, and linked to the user's user profile 50 while the user is within the interactive environment 10 and / or when the user obtains the shareable device 14 to participate in the interactive environment 10. However, it should be noted that, at least in some embodiments, the shareable device 14 may be pre-registered with the user's user profile 50.

[0032] The shareable device 14 may be temporarily paired, registered, or linked to the user profile 50 (via any of a variety of linking techniques). In one embodiment, the shareable device is paired with the user profile 50 by communicating with a user device 18, which is the user's user device 18 and outputs a user ID 40 associated with the user. As described herein, the user device 18 may include a mobile phone, a wearable device (e.g., a bracelet), or any other suitable device. For example, the user device 18 may include a device that the user also uses outside of the interactive environment 10 for personal tasks unrelated to the interactive environment 10 (e.g., a mobile phone that the user uses to complete personal phone calls), or the user device 18 may include a device purchased by the user (or received in exchange for an admission fee) specifically for use in the interactive environment 10 and / or an amusement park having the interactive environment 10.

[0033] In one embodiment, once the sharable device 14 receives the user ID 40 from the user device 18, the sharable device 14 may then transmit the user ID 40 along with its own sharable device ID 30 to the server 22. This enables the server 22 to pair the sharable device 14 with the user profile 50 (e.g., temporarily, such as when the user travels through the interactive environment 10 and / or uses the sharable device 14 during a predetermined time period corresponding to the vehicle rental time period). In an alternative embodiment, the user profile 50 (e.g., some or all settings associated with the user profile 50) may be transferred to and / or stored on the sharable device 14 (e.g., temporarily, such as when the user travels through the interactive environment 10). For example, in one embodiment, the sharable device 14 may be an interactive tool used in the interactive environment 10 (e.g., a blaster that fires virtual projectiles). Thus, if the user profile 50 includes a preference for virtual projectiles, the preference may be transferred to and / or stored on the sharable device 14. Thus, the sharable device 14 may fire or output virtual projectiles according to the preferences of the user profile 50. As another example, if the user profile establishes a color scheme for the user, the color scheme may be transferred to and / or stored on the sharable device 14. Thus, the sharable device 14 may display the color scheme according to the preferences of the user profile 50. It should be appreciated that the sharable device 14, the server 22, the one or more databases 23, and / or the user device 18 may communicate via any suitable communication technology to perform the various embodiments disclosed herein, such as to exchange (one or more) identifiers, pair the sharable device 14 with the user profile 50, and / or to provide the user profile 50 to the sharable device 14. For example, the user device 18 may retrieve the user profile 50 from the one or more databases 23 and transfer the user profile 50 to the sharable device 14. As another example, the user device 18 may receive the sharable device ID 30 from the sharable device 14, and then provide the user ID 40 and the sharable device ID 30 to the server 22.

[0034] In one embodiment, the server 22 may perform an iterative process to pair the shareable device 14 with the user profile 50, such as with respect to Figure 5As described in more detail. In particular, before entering the interactive environment 10 or upon entering the interactive environment 10, the user may open an application (e.g., a software application) on the user device 18 associated with the interactive environment 10 and interact with it. Through interaction with the application on the user device 18, the user may create and / or modify the characteristics of the user's user profile 50. For example, continuing with the above example in which the shareable device 14 is a blaster for the interactive environment 10, the user may create a user profile 50 with preferences for the following items: type of virtual projectile (e.g., water, sticky, ball, animal, character), mode (e.g., ice, fire, water), color scheme (e.g., purple, green, blue), or the like. In addition, through interaction with the application on the user device 18, the user may create and / or modify the characteristics of additional user profiles for additional users (e.g., the user's children, the user's companions, the user's customers) or for the user (e.g., if the user wants to have the ability to select from multiple different user profiles 50). In fact, a user may create and / or modify characteristics of any number of user profiles 50 (e.g., one or more, two or more, three or more, four or more, five or more, etc.), and the user profiles 50 may be stored in one or more databases 23.

[0035] In one embodiment, audio data may be used to transmit the sharable device ID 30 and / or the user ID 40. For example, the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 and / or the communication circuit module 38 of the user device 18 may be capable of transmitting the user ID 40 and / or the sharable device ID 30 as ultrasonic data (e.g., at a frequency greater than 20,000 Hertz (Hz)). Accordingly, the server 22 may include a suitable communication circuit module 48 for receiving ultrasonic data indicating the sharable device ID 30 and / or the user ID 40. Although the above discussion relates to ultrasonic data, it should be noted that the sharable device ID 30 and / or the user ID 40 may also be transmitted as audio data at a frequency corresponding to a frequency that can be heard by humans (such as between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz).

[0036] Once the user profile(s) 50 are established, the user may bring the user device 18 into proximity (e.g., within UWB range) of the sharable device 14 to establish communication between the user device 18 and the sharable device 14. The user device 18 may then provide the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14, which may then relay the user ID 40 to the server 22. The user identifier may enable identification of the user profile 50 in one or more databases 23. The server 22 pairs the sharable device 14 with the user profile 50, and also provides a pairing indication that generally modifies the operation of the sharable device 14. For example, the pairing indication may cause the sharable device 14 to provide feedback (e.g., visual feedback, audio feedback, or tactile feedback) to notify the user that the sharable device 14 has been paired with the user. For example, the user profile 50 may include or at least be temporarily associated with a color scheme (e.g., blue), and the feedback device 29 on the sharable device 14 may illuminate in a color corresponding to the color scheme (e.g., blue). It should be appreciated that server 22 may provide an output including user profile 50 and / or instructions for controlling sharable device 14 in a particular manner (eg, turning on colored feedback device 29) to cause sharable device 14 to provide a pairing output.

[0037] When the user brings the user device 18 into the vicinity (e.g., within the UWB range) of an additional sharable device (e.g., sharable device 14B) to establish communication between the user device 18 and the additional sharable device 14B, the user device 18 may provide the user ID 40 to the additional sharable device 14B. The additional sharable device 14B may then relay the user ID 40 and the sharable device ID 30 of the additional sharable device 14B to the server 22 to enable identification of an additional user profile 50 in one or more databases 23 and association of the additional user profile 50 with the additional sharable device 14B. The server 22 may provide an additional output that causes the additional sharable device 14B to provide an additional pairing indication to notify the additional user that the additional sharable device 14b has been paired with the additional user. For example, the additional user profile may include or at least be temporarily associated with a different color scheme (e.g., purple), and the feedback device 29 on the sharable device 14 may illuminate in a color corresponding to the color scheme (e.g., purple). The server 22 may provide an output including the additional user profile 50 and / or instructions for controlling the sharable device 14 in a particular manner (e.g., turning on a feedback device 29 having a different color) so that the sharable device 14 provides a pairing indication. The color scheme for the user profile 50 may be known to the user and / or may be reflected by the user device 18, such as via a color indicator that is presented via the user device 18 that matches the color of the pairing indication.

[0038] In this manner, the interactive system 10 can enable a single user device 18 to efficiently pair multiple different user profiles 50 with multiple shareable devices 14 (e.g., user profile 50 is paired with shareable device 14a, additional user profile 50 is paired with additional shareable device 14b, etc.) to support high throughput of users as users collect shareable devices 14a, 14b. The pairing process can be an automatic and / or iterative process based on the following steps: the server 22 identifies and receives the user ID 40 from the user device 18, receives the shareable device ID from the shareable device 14, accesses the user profile 50 associated with the user device 18, and pairs the user profile 50 with the shareable device 14. Then, in response to the same user device 18 being brought into proximity with an additional sharable device 14b, server 22 recognizes user ID 40 from user device 18, receives sharable ID 30 of sharable device 14b, recognizes that the user profile is already paired with sharable device 14a (and thus ignores or skips the user profile), accesses additional user profiles 50 associated with user device 18, and pairs the user's additional user profiles 50 (e.g., profiles corresponding to customers, friends, children, family members) with sharable device 14b, and so on.

[0039] The pairing indication may also help multiple users distinguish between their shareable devices 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d, even if each user has their own user device 18. For example, a first user (e.g., located in a queue) may position their user device 18 near (e.g., within UWB range of) a first shareable device 14a, which may then illuminate in a first color after being paired with their user profile 50 by the server 22, the first color operating to visually confirm to the first user that the first shareable device 14a has been paired with their user profile 50. Concurrently, simultaneously, or shortly thereafter, a second user in the queue may position their user device 18 against a second shareable device 14b, which may then illuminate in a second color (e.g., different from the first color), the second color operating to visually confirm to the second user that the second shareable device 14b has been paired with their user profile 50 (e.g., a second user profile 50 associated with the user's account). Similarly, a user who has set up multiple user profiles 50 may select a particular user profile 50 for a single pass through the interactive environment 10 and place the user device 18 against the third sharable device 14c, which may then illuminate in a third color that operates to visually confirm to the user that the third sharable device 14c has been paired with a particular user profile (e.g., a third user profile associated with the user's account). It should be noted that the above discussion may be used to pair any or all of the sharable devices 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d with a user.

[0040] The sharable device 14, the server 22, one or more databases 23, and / or the user device 18 may communicate via any suitable communication technology (e.g., a communication protocol) to perform various embodiments disclosed herein. As described herein, the user device 18 and the sharable device 14 may communicate via a first type of communication (e.g., a first type of communication protocol, such as NFC, RFID, UWB, Wi-Fi, and the like), and the sharable device 14 and the server 22 may communicate via a second type of communication (e.g., a second type of communication protocol, such as NFC, RFID, UWB, Wi-Fi, and the like). Therefore, the user device 18 may provide the user ID 40 to the sharable device 14 using the first type of communication protocol. Subsequently, the sharable device 14 provides the sharable device ID 30 and the user ID 40 to the server using the second type of communication protocol. To facilitate discussion, the user device 18 and the server 22 may both be referred to herein as "external devices or systems" to indicate that certain processing steps may be performed by these external devices or systems that are separate (e.g., physically separate) from the sharable device 14a. In one embodiment, the sharable device 14, the server 22, the one or more databases 23, and / or the user device 18 may communicate via the same communication protocol. However, since the user device 18 may only need to transfer a relatively small amount of data to pair the sharable device 14 with the user profile 50, the likelihood that the pairing will be delayed or interrupted due to an unstable connection between the user device 18 and the sharable device 14 is reduced.

[0041] In one embodiment, the sharable device 14 may temporarily store the user ID 40, and / or the sharable device 14 may access and / or download the user profile 50 for the user using the user ID 40. For example, the sharable device 14 may access and / or download the user profile 50 for the user by communicating with the server 22 using the communication circuit module 28 (e.g., UWB circuit module), and the server 22 may access the user profile 50 from one or more databases 23 and provide the user profile 50 to the sharable device 14.

[0042] The user profile 50 for a user may include a stored log of achievements and / or data that is unique (or at least tailored) to the user. The user profile 50 may depend on previous visits to and / or experiences in the interactive environment 10. The user profile 50 may include data such as the number of visits, the number of points accumulated during one or more visits, the average number of points accumulated per visit, the total number of points accumulated across all visits, which shareable device 14 and / or user ID 40 of the user was previously used, the interactive elements that the user was able to successfully aim (e.g., hit) with one or more shareable devices 14 during one or more visits, the percentage accuracy (e.g., hits / attempts) during one or more visits, the time spent traveling through the interactive environment 10 during one or more visits, the current level achieved in the interactive environment 10, the highest level achieved in the interactive environment 10, the type of user device 18 carried by the user, a history of purchases made by the user, a history of other interactive environments 10 visited by the user, a history of amusement park attractions visited by the user, a history of projectiles used during one or more visits, and / or any of a variety of other information related to performances and / or experiences involving the interactive environment 10. User profile 50 may also include characteristics of the user, such as the user's age, the user's height, the user's weight, the user's abilities, whether the user is associated with any special conditions (e.g., such that certain physical, mental, or emotional adaptations may be necessary or provided), etc. User profile 50 may also include user preferences, such as preferred virtual projectiles (e.g., characteristics or attributes, such as color, size, and / or type) and / or preferred feedback to be presented via sharable device 14. In at least some instances, the user's preferences may be input and / or selected via user device 18. User profile 50 may be referenced to provide user-specific special effects within interactive environment 10, and / or user profile 50 may be updated during each visit to interactive environment 10. Alternatively, some or all elements of user profile 50 may be transferred to sharable device 14 and temporarily downloaded to (e.g., stored on) sharable device 14.

[0043] In one embodiment, the user ID 40 may include certain business data. For example, it may be advantageous to implement the shareable device system 12 to operate using business data (such as financial tokens, micro-businesses, mobile payments, digital wallets, etc.). For example, the user device 18 may execute an application (e.g., a third-party application) that enables the user to purchase certain profile settings (e.g., blaster effects, visual feedback modes, audio settings, and the like) and / or obtain or acquire a shareable device 14. That is, the application may generate a ticket linked to the user ID 40. Therefore, the shareable device 14 may receive the user ID 40 including the ticket and transmit the user ID 40 and the ticket to the server 22. After receiving the ticket, the server 22 may transmit business feedback to the user 16, which generally enables the user to select one or more profile settings. For example, the business feedback may enable the display of the user device 18 to display one or more purchasable profile settings associated with the interactive environment 10. In this way, the shareable device system 10 may improve the immersion of the user 16 while enabling the user to further personalize their experience within the interactive environment 10. While a user may pay a monetary value to obtain a shareable device 14 and / or additional profile settings, in some embodiments the monetary value may be set to zero such that the business data may be used to implement the shareable device system 12 without paying a monetary value.

[0044] To further illustrate the technology disclosed in this article, Figure 4 is a data flow diagram illustrating a method 60 for pairing a sharable device 14 with a user profile 50 stored on a server 22. In general, certain process blocks performed in the method 60 may be performed by the processor 24 of the sharable device 14, the processor 34 of the user device 18, or the processor 44 of the server 22. However, for the sake of brevity, the actions described below are described with respect to the sharable device 14 instead of the processor 24, with respect to the user device 18 instead of the processor 34, and with respect to the server 22 instead of the processor 44. In addition, certain process blocks described below may be performed in an order different from the order illustrated, and indeed in some embodiments, certain process blocks may be skipped entirely.

[0045] As shown in the illustrated embodiment, user device 18 detects the shareable devices in process block 61. For example, as described herein, user 16 may bring user device 18 into proximity of the shareable devices (e.g., within UWB range, such as within three centimeters (cm) or less, four cm or less, five cm or less, ten cm or less, etc.) to establish communication between user device 18 and one or more of the shareable devices 14.

[0046] In response to detecting the sharable device 14, in process block 62, the user device 18 transmits the user ID 40 to the sharable device to initiate pairing of the user profile 50 associated with the user ID 40 with the sharable device 14. After receiving the user ID 40, the sharable device 14 transmits the user ID 40 in process block 64. Additionally, the sharable device 14 transmits the sharable device ID 30 corresponding to the sharable device 14 to the server 22 in process block 65. In turn, the server 22 identifies the user profile 50 based on the user ID 40. In particular, in process block 66, the server 22 identifies and retrieves the user profile 50 corresponding to the user ID 40 stored in the database 23. In one embodiment, the server 22 may perform an iterative process to identify the user profile 50 corresponding to the user ID 40.

[0047] In process block 68, server 22 pairs user profile 50 with the sharable device 14 corresponding to received sharable device ID 30. In general, server 22 pairing user profile 50 with sharable device 14 may include server 22 updating user profile 50 with respect to interactions between sharable device 14 and interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20, or interactions outside of interactive environment 10 or vehicle rental environment 20.

[0048] In process block 70, server 22 transmits pairing indication 71 to sharable device 14. Generally speaking, pairing indication 71 may provide feedback to the user of successful pairing between sharable device 14 and user device 18. In turn, sharable device 14 may activate one or more feedback devices 29 based on pairing indication 71 in process block 72. Generally speaking, pairing indication 71 may cause feedback device 29 of sharable device 14 to be activated, thereby confirming successful pairing. In additional or alternative embodiments, pairing indication 71 may cause feedback (e.g., using feedback device 29) based on unsuccessful pairing (e.g., 'red light', different tactile sensation, error sound, displayed 'X', displayed fault message, and the like). In one embodiment, the type of feedback provided by feedback device 29 may be based on the preferred settings indicated by the user profile. Therefore, in such embodiments, pairing indication 71 may include certain user profile settings (e.g., settings 52 of user profile 50).

[0049] In process block 74, sharable device 14 transmits a return indication 75 that sharable device 14 is returned. For example, sharable device 14 may determine that a period of time during which sharable device 14 is idle exceeds a threshold. Therefore, sharable device 14 may determine that sharable device 14 is no longer in use and transmits return indication 75. In an embodiment, return indication 75 may include data of one or more interactions between the user, sharable device 14, and interactive environment 10.

[0050] In process block 76, server 22 updates user profile 50 based on the return indication. That is, server 22 may update user profile 50 based on the use of sharable device 14. Thus, server 22 may update user profile 50 and / or database 23 to include data indicating achievements, updated user preferences, interactions between users and sharable devices 14, and the like. In embodiments where multiple user profiles 50 are associated with a single user ID, a first sharable device 14 may be paired with a first user profile 50 (e.g., associated with user ID 40), and a second sharable device 14 may be paired with a second user profile 50 (e.g., associated with user ID 40). Thus, server 22 may update either user profile 50 (e.g., first user profile, second user profile, or both) based on data indicating achievements, updated user preferences, interactions between users and sharable devices 14, and the like. In this manner, users or customers may share achievements.

[0051] As shown, the server 22 may transmit a user profile update 80 of the user profile to the user device 18. In general, the server 22 may transmit the user profile update 80 after the server 22 receives the return indication 75, the server 22 determines that an update has been made to the user profile 50 (e.g., the server 22 receives the user profile update from the user device 18), and / or the server 22 determines that the user has achieved or unlocked an achievement associated with the interactive environment 10 and / or the vehicle rental environment 20. Further, in process block 84, the user device 18 may update the shareable device based on the use of the shareable device. For example, the display of the user device 18 may provide feedback to the user (e.g., "Achievement unlocked", "New high score", or "Level up"). As another non-limiting example, updating the user profile may include: the processor 44 determines that the time period allocated for renting the car is approaching an end (e.g., within a threshold) or exceeds the time period. Therefore, the user profile update 80 may cause the display of the user device 18 to indicate that the time period corresponding to the rental of the car is approaching an end or has ended.

[0052] As described herein, such as when a user (e.g., a parent) may desire to use a single user device 18 to pair multiple sharable devices 14 with multiple user profiles 50 (e.g., with the parent's children or other family members or customers), the interactive system 10 may perform an iterative process to pair the sharable devices with the users. Figure 51 is a flow chart of a method 90 for enabling a user to adjust the operation of a shareable device 14 using information stored on a server 22. In some embodiments, the method may be implemented by executing instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as a memory 46, using a processor 44. For example, the method 90 may be performed at least in part by one or more software components, such as an operating system of a server 22, one or more software applications of a server 22, firmware of a server 22, and the like. Although the method 90 is described using steps in a particular sequence, it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that the steps described may be performed in a sequence different from that illustrated, and that certain described steps may be skipped or not performed entirely.

[0053] In process block 92, processor 44 receives user ID 40 and sharable device ID 30 from first sharable device 14. In particular, processor 24 may receive user ID 40 including data indicating user profile 50 (e.g., accessible by server 22). In process block 94, processor 44 determines whether user ID 40 is assigned to second sharable device 14 (e.g., a sharable device different from first sharable device 14). In general, and as discussed herein, user ID 40 may be associated with multiple user profiles 50 (e.g., a first user profile and a second user profile). Therefore, if processor 44 determines that user ID 40 is not assigned to second sharable device 14, processor 44 proceeds to block 96 to retrieve first user profile 50 for user ID 40 of first sharable device 14. In process block 98, processor 44 pairs first user profile 50 with first sharable device 14. However, if the processor 44 determines that the user ID 40 is assigned to the second sharable device 14, the processor 44 proceeds to block 100 to pair the second user profile 50 associated with the user ID 40 with the first sharable device 14. Therefore, the processor 44 may pair the second user profile 50 with the first sharable device 14 in processor block 102.

[0054] In this manner, method 90 may be used to determine a user profile 50 for pairing with a shareable device 14. Thus, a user who desires to pair multiple shareable devices 14 with different user profiles 50 may do so using a single user device 18. It is now recognized that such techniques may be advantageous when a user enters an interactive environment 10 with additional users who do not have user devices 18 and / or do not have user profiles 50.

[0055] In one embodiment, system 12 may use a quick response (QR) code. For example, sharable device 14 may display a QR code identifying sharable device ID 30. In this embodiment, a camera of user device 18 may capture an image or scan the QR code, and user device 18 may transmit the QR code indicating sharable device ID 30 to server 22. As a result, server 22 may pair user profile 50 associated with user device 18 with sharable device 14.

[0056] As described herein, server 22 may receive data indicative of interactions between a user and sharable device 14. It is presently recognized that it may be advantageous to modify the rate at which data is transmitted by sharable device 14 (e.g., and thereby reduce the amount of data received by server 22) based on the operational state of sharable device 14. For example, it may be desirable to transmit less data from sharable device 14 when sharable device 14 is in an idle state (e.g., corresponding to an operational state in which sharable device 14 is not currently paired, has not been in use for a period of time exceeding a time threshold, or sharable device 14 has not received user ID 40) as compared to an operational, activated, or “in-use” state (e.g., corresponding to sharable device 14 being in use or paired with user profile 50). Figure 6 1 is a flow chart for enabling implementation of a method 110 for adjusting the rate at which data is transmitted by a sharable device 14. In some embodiments, the method 110 may be implemented by executing instructions stored in a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium, such as memory 46, using a processor 44. For example, the method 110 may be performed at least in part by one or more software components, such as an operating system of a server 22, one or more software applications of a server 22, firmware of a server 22, and the like. Although the method 110 is described using steps in a particular sequence, it should be understood that the present disclosure contemplates that the steps described may be performed in a sequence different from that illustrated, and that certain described steps may be skipped or not performed entirely.

[0057] In process block 112, processor 44 receives an indication of the current operational state of sharable device 14. In some embodiments, the indication may include the current location of sharable device 14, such as whether sharable device 14 is currently in a location of interactive environment 10 corresponding to the location where user 16 is actively using sharable device 14 (e.g., in a game or play area). In some embodiments, the indication may include data indicating whether sharable device 14 is paired. For example, processor 44 may query database 23 and receive an output indicating a sharable device 14 currently paired with user profile 50. In some embodiments, the indication may include whether a return indication 75 associated with sharable device 14 has been received by processor 44 within a time range (e.g., 10 seconds or less, 30 seconds or less, one minute or less, two minutes or less, three minutes or less, five minutes or less, more than five minutes, etc.). In some embodiments, processor 44 may receive the indication in response to a trigger condition corresponding to the start of an event occurring within the interactive environment.

[0058] At block 114, processor 44 determines whether sharable device 14 is idle. In general, processor 44 may determine whether sharable device 14 is idle based on the indication. In some embodiments, if the indication indicates that sharable device 14 is not in the play area, processor 44 may determine that sharable device 14 is idle. Similarly, if processor 44 determines that sharable device 14 is placed in a checkout area or storage rack for pairing (e.g., but has not yet been paired), processor 44 may determine that sharable device 14 is idle. As another example, if the indication indicates that sharable device 14 is currently paired, processor 44 may determine that sharable device 14 is not idle.

[0059] If the processor 44 determines that the sharable device 14 is not idle (i.e., in an "idle" state) or is in use (i.e., not in an "in use" state), the processor 44 proceeds to block 118 to modify the operation of the sharable device 14 by causing the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 to transmit data at a first rate. However, if the processor 44 determines that the sharable device 14 is idle or not in use, the processor 44 proceeds to block 116 to modify the operation of the sharable device 14 by causing the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 to transmit data at a second rate. In general, the second rate may be less than the first rate. That is, it is currently recognized that it may be advantageous to cause the sharable device 14 to transmit data (e.g., data indicating an interaction within the interactive environment 10) at a relatively high rate when the sharable device 14 is in use. In this way, the method 110 can be used to modify the operation of one or more sharable devices 14 and reduce the amount of data transmitted by the sharable device 14 when transmitting data may be less desirable.

[0060] It should be noted that while only two operating states (e.g., an "idle" state and an "in use" state) are described above, any number of states may be used to modify the frequency of data transmissions performed by the sharable device 14. For example, process 110 may be used to determine whether the sharable device 14 is in a play area (e.g., the sharable device 14 is within the interactive environment 10 or on a storage shelf associated with the interactive environment 10) or outside the play area (e.g., the user may have walked out of the interactive environment 10). Thus, the indication may generally have similar characteristics to those described above with respect to 112 and / or whether the sharable device 14 is placed on a storage shelf. Thus, at block 114, the processor 44 may determine whether the current operating state indicates that the sharable device 14 is in the play area. If the processor 44 determines that the current operating state is outside the play area, the processor 44 may modify the operation of the sharable device 14 by causing the communication circuit module 28 of the sharable device 14 to transmit data at a first rate, which may help the staff member find the sharable device 14 that is outside the play area.

[0061] In some embodiments, processor 44 may compare the current operating state with the previous operating state to determine whether sharable device 14 is idle. That is, it may be advantageous to determine whether sharable device 14 has been in an "idle" state recently, such as compared to determining whether sharable device 14 has been in an "idle" state for a period of time exceeding a time threshold (e.g., one hour, two hours, three hours, four hours). For example, database 23 may also store data and timestamps indicating previously determined operating states of sharable device 14. Therefore, sharable device 14 may determine whether sharable device 14 was previously placed in an "idle" state (e.g., the current operating state and the previous operating state are both "idle" states), and therefore, processor 44 may not modify the rate of data transmitted by sharable device 14. Alternatively, sharable device 14 may determine that sharable device 14 was recently placed in an "idle" state (e.g., the current operating state is an "idle" state and the previous operating state is an "in use" state), and processor 44 may modify the rate of data transmitted as described above. It should be noted that in instances where processor 44 may determine whether shareable device 14 is in an "in use" state at block 114, references to "idle" and "in use" may be swapped.

[0062] Although only certain features of the present disclosure have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the present disclosure.

[0063] The technology presented and claimed herein is cited and applied to specific examples and substantial objects that arguably improve the practical nature of the art, and is therefore not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Further, if any claim appended to the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "a component for [performing] ... [function]" or "a step for [performing] ... [function]," it is intended that such elements be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, it is intended that such elements not be interpreted in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f).

Claims

1. An interactive system comprising: a server coupled to one or more databases storing user profiles; A sharable device comprising one or more processors, one or more memory devices storing a sharable device identifier, one or more feedback devices, and a communication circuit module, wherein the sharable device is communicatively coupled to the server, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: receiving a user identifier from a user device via the communication circuit module; transmitting the user identifier to the server via the communication circuit module; transmitting the sharable device identifier to the server via the communication circuit module; receiving, via the communication circuit module, from the server a pairing indication based on the user identifier and the sharable device identifier; and The one or more feedback devices are activated based on the pairing indication.

2. An interactive system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The communication circuit module includes an ultra-wideband (UWB) communication circuit module.

3. The interactive system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to, after receiving the user identifier, transmit the sharable device identifier to the server via the communication circuit module.

4. The interactive system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to transmit data indicative of interactions performed through the sharable device to the server via the communication circuit module.

5. The interactive system as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The shareable device includes a portable device for an attraction at an amusement park.

6. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein: The communication circuit module includes a Wi-Fi communication circuit module.

7. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein: The sharable device includes a vehicle.

8. An interactive system as claimed in claim 7, wherein: The one or more feedback devices may include a display of the vehicle.

9. An interactive system as claimed in claim 1, comprising said user device, and wherein, The user device comprises a portable user device.

10. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to: determining that the sharable device is in an idle state; and A return instruction is transmitted to the server via the communication circuit module.

11. The interactive system of claim 1, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to transmit the shareable device ID to the server via a first frequency range, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to receive the user identifier via a second frequency range different than the first frequency range.

12. A method for pairing a sharable device, comprising: receiving, using the communication circuit module, from the shareable device a user identifier (ID) associated with the user device; receiving a sharable device ID from the sharable device using the communication circuit module; determining, using one or more processors, a user profile for pairing with the sharable device based on the user ID; as well as Based on the sharable ID, the user profile is paired with the sharable device using the one or more processors.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising: Based on the user profile to pair with the sharable device, a pairing indication is transmitted to the sharable device using the communication circuit module.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: One or more feedback devices of the sharable device are configured to be activated based on the pairing indication.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein: Determining, using the one or more processors, the user profile for pairing with the sharable device comprises: determining, using the one or more processors, that additional user profiles are paired with additional sharable devices; and In response to determining that the additional user profile is paired with the additional sharable device, determining, using the one or more processors, to pair the user profile with the sharable device.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising: receiving, using the communication circuit module, data indicative of an interaction between the sharable device and an interactive environment; as well as The user profile is updated using the one or more processors based on the received data.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising: Data indicative of the user profile is transmitted to the user device as an update using the communication circuit module.

18. An interactive system comprising: a plurality of sharable devices, wherein each sharable device of the plurality of sharable devices stores a corresponding sharable device identifier (ID); and A server coupled to one or more databases storing a plurality of user profiles, wherein the server comprises: a communication circuit module configured to communicate with the plurality of sharable devices; and One or more processors configured to: receiving, via the communication circuit module, a user identifier from a first sharable device among the plurality of sharable devices; receiving a first sharable device identifier from the first sharable device via the communication circuit module; determining that a first user profile of the plurality of user profiles is paired with a second sharable device of the plurality of sharable devices; and Based on the first user profile being paired with the second sharable device, a second user profile of the plurality of user profiles is paired with the first sharable device.

19. An interactive system as claimed in claim 18, wherein: The one or more processors are configured to cause the first sharable device to output a pairing indication based on pairing the second user profile with the first sharable device.

20. The interactive system of claim 19, wherein: The first sharable device includes one or more feedback devices configured to be activated based on the pairing indication.

Images